In this classic episode, it's the FOX network that is the real S.O.B.

What other show on television could simultaneously provide a laugh-out-loud episode while letting viewers in on the self-referencing joke? I laughed every single minute. How does FOX repay this comedic genius? By arresting "Development" and serving up trash like "Free Ride," "Trading Spouses," and "Stacked." The Bluth family motto should be "Remember 'Family Guy'." FOX - what an S.O.B.!

one of my faves

this was one of the first episodes i ever saw and i think its one of the best. it is one of my favorites and it is really very funny.

i love this show and i own all three seasons even though the third season is only two dvds i have watched all three seasons and i love all three seasons.

Gob actually works a day in his life... wow! all the "gimmicks" they have are hilarious... lindsay trying to be a "mother figure" in the house is super funny and micheal thinking that george michael has obsessive compulsive disorder is so funny!

so in closing... thank you for reading my rant and the fact that you have put up with my rambling. by:a.q.

Gob accidentally works a day in his life!

Save Our Bluths, may not be the best abbreviation for a fundraiser, but even worse may be a speech removing all respect for the family, sauce being the water the chicken was cooked in and an old lady choking moments after the announcement that the charity source used to poison people.

This is my favourite season three episode so far, the only part I didn’t like being the quintuplets, though they did have their funny moments.

Much like Scrubs “My Life In Four Cameras” which is a parody of the basic sitcom, this episode parodies shows attempts at boosting popularity, eg/3D glasses (who through the tomato?), a promise of a death (we may as well tell you now, she’s the one that dies) and live moments, and is done in a hilarious way.

Overall, this episode is a very amusing instalment of Arrested Development with great inside jokes about the show’s cancellation and hilarious subplots from both George Michael and Maeby.

One of the best of the series.

I have felt that this season wasn't on par with the first 2, but I stand corrected with this episode...

One of the best ever. Period.

A hilarious satire on the future of the show. I can't think of better way to send off Arrested, FOX gave it 2 good years of press, and abandoned it the 3rd. FOX tried is like crap the third year, and the show shows it, and addresses it in the only way it knows how, satire. Hilarious satire.

Hopefully, Showtime will pick the show up, and this will be a hilarious screw-you to FOX, and not a sad end.

Wonderful, Brilliant !!

This Is One Of The Best Series, Yet FOX Never Really Gave It A Chance. This Episode Was Hilarous, It Can Poke Fun at Itself Even While It's Fate It Unknown. I Laughed All The Way Through. I Hope that This Series Will Be On for A While. FOX Keep's Canceling All the Good Series.

Another hilarious, incredibly smart episode from the folks at AR

All the great references (my favorite: "and one of these people will die"), spoofs (though I use the term loosely, because it's so far above that level) of other shows, and incredible writing made this episode my favorite. I can't believe that this series is leaving; it deserves a much higher level of attention. MUCH higher.

Another great episode of a great show.

The show continues to be a great show, and have some really good humor. Making shameless pleas for their own exsistance was refreshing to see from a now canceled tv show. I hope it isn't the last aired episode, I haven't checked if it is or isn't yet. Anyway, thanks Arrested for another great episode.

Not the greatest episode ever, but in its context: one of the best!

Arrested Development, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways, or instead write a TV.com review of the most self-referential episode of all time.

This episode really rewarded all of us fans who have been keeping close tabs on the always dangerous fate of the funniest show on television. With characters clearly referring to HBO and Showtime and the fact that the show is up against a wall, using transparent analogies, the show has reached a new level.

Whither Arrested Development in the second half of this decade? We can only hope and, it turns out, so can the characters themselves.

you could also say 'THE BEST EPISODE OF THE SERIES' and not be debated or called a liar!!

It has been a tough time enjoying Arrested Development since half past the 1st season... I was so scared the show would cease to exist. This Third Season shows why this show should not be cancelled until it breaks the longest-running series record. It is so hard to review this show without putting the "F" word before many statements to emphasize how ____ing brilliant this show it, how ____ing funny this ____ show is.

This episode is the first written since Arrested Development's second episode cutback... and the writers go ballistic creating the funniest episode in this hilarious series!

Great episode, but not Arrested Development's finest. The inside jokes were particularly well done, and it was funny, but the show didn't seem to pull together in that multi-layered way, perhaps a director or editing fault. As a result, a lot of missed po

The Bluths need to raise money to avoid Bob Loblaw's wrath, and decide to hold a donation event. To try and gain sympathy, Lindsay starts working around the house but her inexperience worries George Michael into cleaning after her and making the others suspect he has OCD (or "The OC disorder"), GOB becomes a waiter as a joke that goes nowhere and stays on for the tips, and the family recruit Andy Richter to appear at the event. In repsonse to an expulsion letter, Tobias tries to both spend time AND punish Maeby, and George Michael is put into her academically liberal school (and being taught by one of Richter's quintuplet brothers). Mix-ups, double meanings, and "situations clear cut for comedy" occur, of couse.

The episode was a lot of good and bad and slightly paled in comparison the rest of the series. It was funny, and yet a bit too simple in the jokes. It was satirical of the television industry, and yet didn't go too deep. And, overall, it felt slightly hollow whenever the show wasn't going meta on us. You can tell by the small things that this would've done much better a season or two ago, there's a distinct feeling that, say, Tobias' dialogue would've been written much more tongue-in-cheek. While the plot was a big reference to their seemingly imminent cancellation, and the references kept coming, the episode was different from the cut-order episode in that it never felt as if the plot was really revolving around the meta-reference. Everyone more or less floats around slightly away from the plot between the cold opening and the third act (where the reappearance of Tony Wonder (Ben Stiller) and Phillip Litt (Zach Braff) prove especially dissapointing when you realize they have no lines. Neither do the references to desperation for ratings, as Ron Howard's begging to inform friends of the show, the 3D gags, the death of a character and the Live moment all have a tacked on feeling. Whether that was the point, implying that such ratings grabs on other shows are usually worthless to plot as they are here, is lost, and you just know that GOB just threw a tomato in 3 seconds of 3D, and that was the joke. Nothing comes of it, no twists in the storyline, and you see why it feels that it's all too simple and straight-forward for Arrested Development's style, as if (conspiracy theory!) they really were hoping for higher ratings and didn't want to scare off new audiences by elaboarating on the inside jokes. Same with the Home Builders Organization/show time joke.
"Oh, no, the HBO won't want us. So, what now?"
"Well, I think it's show time."
The joke is funny as it stands on its' own, but again doesn't have the feeling that it's entangled within the show and the events. Who is this HBO? An appearance by the actual Home Builders Organization is the kind of thing you'd expect if this was a season one or two episode. Maybe that's the price of the cut season, sacrificing some development of the show's background. Hopefully there will be more significance and many of these moments will be recalled upon in the last episodes of the season.

Yet, of course, this is all negative criticism on what is still one of the best shows on the air. In the end, it's the missed potential of more tweaked dialogue, of the meta-references feeling more involved in the plot, and that the guests, even Andy Richter, could've brought more than their "This is a joke about TV shows reaching for guest stars" purpose, especially since they've established characters within the show that it would've been great to get some character development from. This missed potential could kill the show if it really matters that much to you...overall, it nagged at me as I wished I could score this above 9.0, where I'd rate most episodes.

This better not be the end.

Seriously if you are reading this there's no point in me trying to convince you about how great this show is. I could go on for hours about this episode or any episode of the show for that matter, but point blank this is the best show in the history of television and it deserves to find a new home elsewhere. Do the right thing FOX, release the rights and let a grateful network have it.

The Bluth Family throws a soiree to raise money in a cameo-filled, ratings-hungry extravaganza of desperation.

Don\'t believe people who say this episode is one of the series\' best. Has anyone else noticed a sharp decline in the show\'s quality ever since the cancellation \"rumors\" began surfacing earlier this season? Sure, the non-stop inside jokes are still there, but the characters have lost the irreverence and quirky individuality that made them so special in the first two season. Instead, it seems as if the writers, actors and anyone else involved has turned the show into a vehicle to complain about what a bum rap they\'re getting. This episode is a prime example of that. The jokes are funny, but when you\'re only joke is making fun of the fact that you\'re getting cancelled, do you really deserve to be given another chance? If the first season had been like this, would it have even made it to a second, let alone a third? I doubt it. Unless the show is picked up (hopefully by someone other than Showtime, because honestly who watches Showtime?), and reverts to its old form, I think Arrested Development is going down on a decided terrible note.

Only Arrested Development could do this

With the future of this show in the air (which it usually is) and looking down the barrel of the cancellation gun, this episode pulled out all the stops to try to get viewers to watch this episode--even Ron Howard pleading people before the commercial break to ask their friends to watch this show.

The promotion of this episode prior to its air talked about a death of one of the characters and a portion of it "live." Almost reminded me of NBC stunting during sweeps. There were a couple of portions where a graphic asked viewers to get their 3D glasses ready. I was like "I didn't know where to get these 3D glasses." Special guest stars, including the various Andy Richter quintuplets and other celebrities, coming in to the fundraiser (and leaving with a goody bag). Also with the in-jokes about H.B.O. and Showtime. As well as Michael's speech about the Bluths were probably never accepted and never will be. You could tell that this episode was produced pretty recently.

I wish the gang well and hope that the Bluths will come back in some form, wherever they go--I'll be there.

Family throws a fundraiser to save the Bluth company

Absolutely perfect. This episode was riveting---something special beyond the average Arrested Development. The jokes were so layered and so many....there is something almost therepeutic about watching the show. There just isn\'t anything on television like it. It was sad to watch knowing it was the last one, and it just goes to show you those FOX execs don\'t know good from bad.

Just another reason why this is the best show ever!!

I dont get it... How can such a great show keep pumping out amazing episodes and yet America doesnt watch!!! Last night was by far the best episode of the year and one of the five best ever in my book. People watch this show... Even better go right now to Best Buy and buy the seasons and watch them one after another... Its funnier that way!!!!

Bluths start a fund raiser to try to retain a new lawyer.

Yet another great episode. Seems like when ever this show get\'s ready to be canceled they just poke fun of their demise. This episode they pulled out all the stops and did every lame gimmick used to boost ratings. They had a death, celebrities, 3-D, and a live bit. Most shows do this during sweeps when ratings sag.

I\'ll be very sad when this show is canned. Hopefully they will be picked up by another network. Loved how they made fun of the rumors about them moving to HBO or showtime.

Oh man. Quite possibly the best episode ever.

I can't stop laughing, and the show's been done for 45 minutes. Unbelievably clever, funny, brilliant writing, and they finally included some new jokes! Andy Richter played FIVE parts! Ben Stiller had 0.1 seconds of airtime! Random guest stars! 3D Glasses! 3D GLASSES! LIVE ENDING! Can't stop being excited...I have a good feeling some other network is gonna pick up the show now...and I'll never eat another muffin again. Nor cream soda. Or chicken. Or soup. Also loved the jab at the I Love the (insert decade here) shows. Long overdue. Just a perfect episode; carried a plot, but still contained an unbelievable amount of jokes. I love this show, and yes, I would marry it. If wishes made it so.

Quite possibly the best episode I've seen

If you are a diehard AD fan (like me), then every second of this episode was hilarious, especially if you've been keeping up on the status of the show. The various inside jokes that fans appreciate really make this episode special. From the various cameos to the obvious pleas for help, this episode was one of the best, if not THE best, yet.

one of the not best episodes but still its AD so it cant be bad

ok i am in al honesty a huge AD fan i watch every episode like at least 5 times and love almost all of them. but tonight im not sure why but i just didn\'t laugh very much. there was clever stuff about saveourbluths.org and hbo and showtime jokes but just not that much else. i did love the racist old lady comment though but there just didnt seem to be enough. next week is an hour long though so im sure it will be fantastic. then we just have to wait til someon picks it up

Does it pay to be desperate? We'll see...

This has to be one of the greatest episodes. The laughs just kept coming, and the show was hilarious. Not only were there throw-backs to old episodes, but there were new, creative jokes! Even if FOX fully kills this show, I'm now confident another station will pick it up. Keep watching AD guys!

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